Banana-shipping case.



' BANANA SHIPPING CASE.

(Application filed Jan. 18, '1902.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES ATENT QFFICE;

FRANK SOHMITZ, OFCI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BANANA-SHIPPING CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,016, dated September 30,1902.

Application filed January 18, 1902. fierial No. 90,250. N model.)

, hung Within and out of contact therewith a vided into three parts 0 c a rigid crate consisting of encircling hoops and longitudinal slats, said slats being made up of portions so constructed as to telescope or slide one past the other to reduce the longitudinal extent of the package when empty and adjusted for transportation.

To such end the invention consists in a certain novel and improved construction, which will be fully described in its preferred form and the essential features of which will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete casein proper adjustment for use in the transportation of a bunch of bananas. Fig. 2 is a Vertical diametrical section of the same in the same adjustment. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the case in adjustment for transportation in an empty condition.

Referring to the drawings, A is a flexible bag adapted for the reception of a bunch of bananas; B B B B a series of outer cylindrical hoops; B 13 .13 B a series of inner cylindrical hoops, and OO O O C' C O G a series of longitudinal slats, whichare di- 7 The parts 0 are secured to the hoops B B B, the parts 0 are secured to the hoops B B and the parts 0 to the hoops B B B The Various parts are provided with oblique ends a, fitted together so that they may be tightened upon each other by relative rotation, and a series of buttons D are provided adjacent to some of the joints, which may be turned tight upon the loose ends, as seen in Fig. 1, to hold the case in its extended position. The pivots d of the buttons are placed at a sufficient distance from the slats so that when the buttons are turned in the position shown in dotted lines the slats may slide radially between them and the portions which are fast to the same hoops as the buttons.

Taking the case asseen in Fig. 1, which illustrates its adjustment for use in packing bananas, it may be greatly reduced in length for transportation or storing empty by loosening the buttons D and crowding the portions 0 of the slats down alongside of the portion 0 and the portion a down alongside of the portion 0 This position is seen in Fig. 4:. The bag of course readily collapses to the reduced longitudinal extent, and the whole device is put into easy and convenient shape for handling.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a flexible bag, of an outer rigid crate secured thereto and out of contact therewith, said crate being divided longitudinally into a series of parts brought together and extended by relative rotation and provided with means for secur-' ing them in their extended position; substantially as described.

2. In a banana-shipping case, the combina- .tion with a flexible bag, of a crate secured thereto and out of contact therewith, consisting of a series of encircling hoops and longitudinal slats secured thereto, said longitudinal slats being divided obliquely, adjacent to certain of the hoops and provided with means for holding the portions end to end and for releasing them from this position so that they may slide one alongside of the other to shorten the crate for transportation; substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 15th day of January, A. D. 1902.

FRANK SCI-IMITZ.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. SHERVEY, S. Mass. 

